Quote

Ain't nuthin like ridin' a finehorse in a new country- Augustus McCrae – Lonesome Dove

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Part I - Sunshine Ride!

For as stormy as Friday had been - Saturday arrived sunshine stunning - in all it's glory! I think all of camp slept in - it was so blissfully quiet - at least early on. We'd originally planned to do the afternoon train ride with Janelle & friends in camp. That changed when we heard from our daughter (who lives in Astoria) - that her family was coming down to visit us!

Out near the bay~

I was really looking forward to riding out to enjoy the sun on the dunes & on the beach. Farah again looked at where Sandy had been camping - still hopeful that Ody might be around :-) When we passed the horse ride concession, there was a long group of riders just returning from their ride. The wrangler said he'd seen me last evening & pointed me to a trail that I hadn't taken before.

Fishing dock~

The first time we came out on the bay - we could see north to the dock where Butch & I had walked the day before. We continued on & soon came to a beautiful little secluded valley. Still with mostly native grasses & so gorgeous. Almost like riding in a totally different country.

Farah admires the view~

Eventually, we wound our way back to the main trail & into the little secluded woods area that's so pretty. On the way - we found Foxglove competing with the Scotch Broom for growing space.

I think I've taken a similar photo - which gives the true view - of the destruction to a once vibrant - verdant grassland dune. The dark green is the Scotch Broom taking over... Can you imagine how beautiful it was in all native grasses? I've linked above to a recovery project elsewhere.

The tiny coastal forest~

Even here, in this tiny section of coastal forest - you see the Scotch Broom has gained a foothold & is edging out the ferns & natives. Amazingly adaptive even in the shade of the pines. We came to the end of the trail south & made the turn west.

Trail post on the horizon~

You can just see the post marking the start of the trail from the beach, near the jetty.

At the beach~

Since last year, somewhat of a trail has been made down & through the driftwood that piles up here during storms. The signage asks that we stay on trails & not enter the dunes to the north.

Farah~

There was a little wind & Farah knew that on this day she'd get to go! She was excited the minute her hooves hit the wet sand :-) I called Butch - he was already out on the beach taking photos of other riders & waiting for us.

We galloped all the way north until we reached Butch, passing another dude string on our way.

Then we did a little circling around Butch :-) I appreciate him taking the video, as it's helpful to get a chance to see how Farah moves & how I'm moving too. Our first time at the beach with the Stonewall saddle. It was nice to see that I'm not riding like a Monkey on a stick :-) Dean's favorite descriptive phrase for legs too far back, heels too high & body too far forward. At least it seems to be working for us!

Farah & Connie

With all the long trotting & galloping we did, Farah never once raised her shoulders, tossed her neck or bucked into the gallop. All things that she had done regularly in all the other saddles we've used. What a relief to know that she's comfortable - finally! I'm also really pleased with the performance of the Saddleright pad
that Cassandra recommended. We used it for the first time at Mt. Adams & it stays perfectly put, is thin & Farah's back looks super
when the saddle comes off.

Top of the dune~

Farah loves to attack the big dune going to the top of the trail to camp - so we did :-) Then we waited for Butch & the dogs to catch up :-) Back in camp, it was quiet, just the sound of the breeze in the trees & the birds chirping. Almost everyone on their way to the train ride. We had time for lunch, then sat out in the sun until the kids arrived!

1 comment:

Albert Borgmann, Crossing the Postmodern Divide, 1992

You cannot remain unmoved by the gentleness and conformation of a well-bred and well-trained horse -- more than a thousand pounds of big-boned, well-muscled animal, slick of coat & sweet of smell, obedient and mannerly, and yet forever a menace with it's innocent power and ineradicable inclination to seek refuge in flight, and always a burden with its need to be fed, wormed, and shod, with its liability to cuts and infections, to laming and heaves. But when it greets you with a nicker, nuzzles your chest, and regards you with a large and liquid eye, the question of where you want to be and what you want to do had been answered.

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January 1, 2013

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I enjoy riding whenever & wherever I can, then blogging about it!Time with our grand-kids tops my list - the gift of old age! Of course anything about horses, Photography, the Great Outdoors, never-ending work of keeping up a woodland garden & Washington Native Plant promotion are a few of my personal interests.